How to Double Haul with a Fly Rod

A great Capt. by the name of Rob Alexander once told me, “A good way to think about it is, you wouldn’t go on an archery elk hunt without practicing with your bow every day for a year leading up to the hunt… so why would you come out on the skiff without practicing with your fly rod first?”

Mastering the double haul can completely change the way you cast a fly rod. It’s especially useful when you’re fighting wind or reaching for a distant tailing redfish on a flood tide. The double haul is considered an advanced technique, but once it clicks, it feels like second nature.

A double haul put simply is a timed pull with your line hand during both the backcast and the forward cast. This increases line speed, tightens your loop, and gives you more power to drive the fly where you need it to go.

Here’s how it works:

Start with a smooth backcast. As your rod abruptly stops and lets your line come all the way out, use your line hand to pull the line straight down from your rod to your pocket. Bring your line hand back to your rod as the line shoots out and your rod hand moves to start the forward stroke of your cast. Make sure you keep the line in your hand loose enough to slide through but be ready to pinch tight it again. This is the first haul.

As you come forward, perform the second haul. Again, pull down with your line hand as the rod unloads. Let go or shoot the line when the cast straightens out.

Timing is everything. If your haul is too early or too late, it will disrupt the cast. Start by practicing slowly and focus on the rhythm rather than the distance. Once the motion becomes fluid, the power and accuracy will naturally follow.

You don’t need to muscle the rod but it should be muscle memory before you get on the skiff. A good double haul is all about tempo and feel. Once you get it down, it opens up a whole new level of control in your casting.

Written by: Austin Young

Photos by: Austin Young